11 Last-Minute LSAT Study Tips

Terrifying. Soul-draining. Life-changing. However you describe the LSAT, there’s no arguing that it’s a stressful experience. The big problem? Stress can have a major impact on your scores.

Published September 6, 2017

Here are 11 last-minute tips to minimize your stress before the LSAT! How last-minute are we talking? A week in advance? A day? An hour? Don’t worry, we’ve got tips for everyone, no matter how you define “last minute.”

One Week Out

1. Prepare everything a few days in advance

Designate an “exam bag” and put all necessities in this bag. Doing this a few days beforehand gives you time to gather everything you need, and decreases anxiety over possibly forgetting something.

2. Relax

Experts advise test takers to avoid studying the week before. Try to do things that are proven to help you relax:

Sleeping well the week before the test will help you focus, retain information, and make good decisions under pressure.

4. Be assertive in your boundaries

No one’s personal life is perfect. No matter what else is going on in your life, you need to create an environment that enables success.

That means telling friends and family to give you space until after the exam, asking for assistance with childcare leading up to the exam, or even turning off your phone for a few hours if you can’t get a break. Don’t be afraid to make yourself a priority!

In fact, a recent study of nearly 850 Flemish adults found that using a mobile phone after turning the lights off was associated with worse sleep quality, more insomnia, and more symptoms of fatigue (though it's unclear from this research whether using a phone directly causes sleep problems).

6. Avoid fellow test-takers before and after the exam

Everyone else is just as nervous as you are. When anxious people interact with each other, they tend to feed off each others’ nervousness. The goal is to reduce stress as much as possible, so take some “me time” prior to the test.

T-Minus One Hour

7. Leave your tech in the car or at home

Smartphones, digital watches, and other tech are not allowed in the exam rooms. If you know your devices will be a distraction, plan to leave them at home entirely. Analog watches are allowed for personal timekeeping.

In two experiments they found phones sitting on a desk or even in a pocket or handbag would distract users and lead to worse test scores even when it was set up not to disturb test subjects. The effect was measurable even when the phones were switched off, and was worse for those who were deemed more dependent on their mobiles.

8. Identify possible distractions

Once you’re there, take stock of your environment. Where can you sit to decrease distractions? Do you need to sit up front to feel like you’re taking the exam by yourself, or do you need to sit in the back so you don’t feel like people are watching you? Are there windows that let in street noise?

What about personal distractions? If you’re struggling with personal issues, allow yourself to let them go for a few hours. If they were life and death, you wouldn’t be getting ready to sit for an exam - so give yourself permission to focus only on the test.

11. Breathe!

For a quick breathing exercise, follow these 4 steps outlined by the New York Times:

Sitting upright or lying down, place your hands on your belly.

Slowly breathe in, expanding your belly, to the count of five.

Pause.

Slowly breathe out to the count of six.

Repeat for at least one minute.

Remember - the LSAT is just an exam. With practice, you will pass, even if it takes two or three attempts. Once you get into the room, you’re relying on the skills you’ve build over months of prep work - so believe in yourself! Self-confidence will be your most powerful weapon to destress and knock the LSAT out of the park.